


Her Beginning

by Kazuo93



Series: The Adventures of Sapphire Umbrus [1]
Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-27
Updated: 2020-08-27
Packaged: 2021-03-07 02:47:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,259
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26139889
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kazuo93/pseuds/Kazuo93
Summary: Wanting to escape from Garlean influence, a young Raen decides to flee her home village and start anew.
Series: The Adventures of Sapphire Umbrus [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1898692
Kudos: 2





	Her Beginning

**[0004 7th Umbral Era, Yanxia]**

The moon reigns over another quiet evening in Yanxia. The wind whispers softly throughout the land, crickets chirp all around, and the sound of Magitek patrols echo through each village.

"LIGHTS OUT! Anyone caught outside their homes past curfew will be severely punished!" a Garlean soldier calls from his Magitek armor. At the cry of curfew, every man, woman, and child in the vicinity retreated to their homes and snuffed out their lights.

All except in a single home, where a pair of Auri children reside. The elder of the two was named Umi Kuroi, a female Raen with long blue hair; and the younger sibling named Sora Kuroi, a boy with short blue hair.

"Sister, I'm not so sure about this. You heard what they said," Sora pleads from the doorway.

"They only said severely punished, Sora. It's not like they're going to kill me," she nonchalantly replies, stuffing a knapsack with clothes. "And that's IF I get caught."

"I really don't think you understand the danger you're putting yourself in, sister. Why, you'd be lucky enough to walk away with just a few broken bones, assuming you aren't handed over to the viceroy. Wouldn't it be better to just stay here and live the rest of our lives in peace?"

"This isn't living, Sora!" she barks, stuffing her knapsack with another set of clothes. "Day by day, we endure the abuse of the Garleans. If our people aren't left starving from the troops taking our food, they either end up missing or dead. And no one lifts a finger to stop it. Even mother and father are wont to just bow their heads in silent obedience. I'm sick of living like this!" she yanks the drawstrings and slings the bag over her shoulder.

"Where do you plan to go then? There is no place in Othard free of Garlean influence," the boy asks.

"You're right. There is no place IN OTHARD that's free of Garlean influence," she replies, turning to face her brother. "But I heard about a boat sailing out tomorrow morning, headed for a place called...E-or-zeya, I think it was called...."

"And what do you plan on doing once you get to this Orza place, or whatever it's called? It's not like an easy life awaits you with open arms!"

"Well, I heard you can earn a living as an adventurer! They are people who use their strength to slay monsters and protect people. Doesn't that sound amazing?"

"So that's it then? You just plan on leaving your family to chase some...fantasy to become a hero? What about us then?" the boy asks, pleading for his sister to stay.

"I did think about that..." she says, eyes meeting her brother's. "I don't plan on just abandoning Doma, little brother. But I cannot free her if I remain here. I need to become stronger...and becoming an adventurer might just be what I need to gain that strength," she says earnestly, walking over and placing a hand on her brother's shoulder. "Why not come with me, brother? I'm sure I'd fare better if there were two of us over there. Both of us can then come back and free this land. Together. What say you?"

The boy thinks for a moment before shrugging off his sister's hand. He then glares at her, holding back tears. "I refuse to leave mother and father alone. I am not one who can easily abandon their home. If you wish to pursue this folly, I won't stop you, but you'll have to go on your own."

The girl takes a step back, slightly heartbroken from the glare she is receiving from her brother. She had hoped he would have taken to the proposal better. Nevertheless, her mind and heart had already made the decision to go, with or without him.

"Fine then. Then this is where we will part ways." She pushes him out of the way and silently opens the door, shifting ever so quietly into the dark hallway. "Farewell, brother." She closes the door behind her, trying her best to hold back the tears of farewell. But this was not the time to cry, nor was it the time to dawdle. She makes one quick pass through the empty dining room leaving a letter on the table informing her parents of her intention to flee. And with one last look at her home, she departs.

Avoiding the Garlean troops was challenging but not impossible. Ever since hearing about the boat a few weeks ago, Umi studied the patrol paths of the troops and where she could proceed to leave Yanxia. While it took longer than expected, she eventually reached the shores of the Ruby Sea, where a few others who chose the same path were waiting. After a bit of waiting, and a bit of instruction, the group were eventually smuggled onto a fishing boat that sailed away from the shores of Othard.

"When we get there," said one of the other stowaways, a Hyur male. "I think just proceeding as we are might bring with it unwanted attention, might even put us or our families in danger."

"What are you suggesting?" asked a Hyur female.

"He's saying we need new names for ourselves, new identities when we become adventurers," a Miqo'te male replied. "Mine may actually require some foresight, lest I insult one of the other tribes over there, assuming there are any where we're going."

"I'm sure you'll figure something out," said a Roegadyn female. "How about you, girl?" she asks, turning to Umi. "I heard that Raen aren't very common where we're headed, so you've got a whole lot more freedom in naming yourself."

Umi ponders for a moment. She was glad that she didn't have to follow any naming conventions in this foreign land, but she still loved her name. That said, it would do well to protect those at home by coming up with an alias. But what name would suit her?

"Well, I don't want too drastic a change so mayhaps just a direct translation of my real name? My mother named me _Umi ,_ which means 'sea'; and our last name is _Kuroi_ , which is simply 'black'..." she replied, raising an eyebrow in thought.

"SEA BLACK--no wait, that's a stupid name...Black Sea? Nah, that's...ew...." the Hyur responded.

"Hmm..." it was then she remembered the story of her birth. Her mother said she was named Umi because her eyes reminded her of the sea's _sapphire_ glint, and that it was a cool day since the entire region of Yanxia was covered by the shadows of the clouds, as if the entire region had shifted into a nocturnal aspect.

Sapphire Nocturnus? Close, but didn't quite roll off the tongue. She then remembered another word that was used to refer to nocturnal aspect, something she read in an old piece of literature her father used to read: _umbral_.

"Sapphire Umbrus," she mutters after a while, eyes slowly opening.

"Sapphire...Umbrus...I like the sound of that! Now THAT'S an adventurer's name!" cried the Miqo'te.

She chuckles and smiles, standing up in front of the other stowaways. She the puffs out her chest and beats it lightly with her fist. "Alright then. From this day forth, my name shall be Sapphire Umbrus, Adventurer!"

With a clap from her peers, the Doman girl named Umi Kuroi was reborn as the adventurer, Sapphire Umbrus. She only needed to wait until the ship docked for her adventure to begin.


End file.
